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Public Health Response - Situation Update 9

Public Health Response - Situation Update 9

TULSA, OK – [April 11, 2013, 5:50 p.m. CST] –

As of 4 p.m. today 2,432 people have visited the clinic to be screened and have their blood drawn for testing for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV at the Tulsa Health Department following the recent announcement regarding the public health response to the improper infection control practices of Tulsa oral surgeon W. Scott Harrington

AppointmentsBeginning Monday, April 15, the screening process and hotline hours will change. Patients are advised to call the Patient Information Hotline (918)595-4500 to make an appointment for screening at the clinic. Patients can also contact the North Regional Health and Wellness Center directly at (918)595-4380 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will still be accepted, however appointments are recommended in order to minimize wait times.

English- and Spanish-speaking public health representatives will be available during normal business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Anyone who was a patient at Dr. W. Scott Harrington’s dental practice should contact the hotline with any questions or to schedule a screening appointment.

Test ResultsAs part of their regular Situation Updates on the public health investigation into the W. Scott Harrington dental practice, the Tulsa Health Department and Oklahoma State Department of Health will announce positive case results only after thorough individual case investigations have been completed. Thus, there will be a time delay from when individuals are notified of their case status, and when the THD and OSDH report any positive cumulative case totals.

For those patients whose tests results are negative and whose last dental visit at the Harrington clinic occurred before Sept. 19, 2012, no additional testing or follow up will be recommended. For those with negative test results who had dental procedures in the Harrington clinic between Sept. 20, 2012, and March 20, 2013, THD and the OSDH will recommend follow up testing at least six months past the last dental clinic date at the Harrington practice. It is possible those persons may be in an early infection stage that is not yet detected by the tests that were performed. These patients will be advised to contact the public health department where they had their blood drawn for HIV and viral hepatitis testing to schedule a repeat testing visit. Patients are encouraged to contact the Patient Information Hotline at (918) 595-4500 to address any concerns about correspondence they receive or other aspects of the investigation.

Most people will be notified of their test results within approximately two to three weeks of blood draw. Patients who have given the health department permission to mail negative test results to their home will receive their results in the mail. Anyone who has a positive test result will be contacted personally by a health department representative and counseled about information specific to the disease for which the test was positive. The health department will also begin an individual case investigation in an effort to determine when and how the person became infected. Recommendations for testing of a spouse or partner will be made following the outcome of the case investigation.